Biomass study fosters crop development in Ontario Wednesday, June 30, 2010 by KRISTIAN PARTINGTONAgriculture and Agri-Food Canada will invest $2.4 million into researching the economic viability of growing biomass crops for energy production.“The world is changing and it’s important that we change with it,” said Barry Devolin, MP representing Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock. He announced the funding Tuesday at an evening reception hosted by Ontario’s Agricultural Adaptation Council. “The research will help Ontario agriculture lead the way to an entirely new family of crops, a new stable market and a new industry for purpose grown crops.”The Ontario Federation of Agriculture will lead the project, to run until October 2013, in partnership with the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association. Research will focus on assessing the growth, storage and aggregation of crops such as switchgrass, big bluestem, miscanthus and prairie mix for use in energy generation. “Our hope is to study the agronomic aspects of these purpose-grown field crops,” said David Armitage, a manger of policy research with the federation. The study will also explore engineering practices for transforming crops into energy and examine practices in other jurisdictions around the world through extensive literature readings. Armitage said the federation and Ontario Soil and Crop began seeking farms to take part in the study this month. “We’ve had three information meetings earlier this month and we requested or encouraged farmers to submit expressions of interest and we’ve had a number of those.” The goal is to have 900 acres of perennial crops through the course of the study. At this point, about 450 acres have been identified. The federation will announce another opportunity for expressions of interest in August or September. BF OPA reduces incentive for ground-mounted solar power Apple and grape acres take a tumble
Grain Bin Emergencies Turn Deadly in Seconds, but Training Can Save Lives Thursday, May 7, 2026 Would you know what to do if someone you loved was trapped in a grain bin? The reality is sobering. Compared to a flowing mass of grain, a person is only several bushels in volume. When grain begins moving, escape becomes nearly impossible. In most cases of full grain engulfment,... Read this article online
Applications open for GFO 2026 Legacy Scholarship Thursday, May 7, 2026 Applications are now open for the 2026 Grain Farmers of Ontario , an annual program designed to support students pursuing post‑secondary education that contributes to the future of the province’s grain and agri‑food industries. Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) represents 28,000... Read this article online
Farmland Rents Lag Land Values Thursday, May 7, 2026 Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has released a new economic analysis highlighting a growing gap between farmland values and rental rates across the country, a trend that will likely reshape expansion decisions for Canadian producers. According to the analysis, Canada’s average farmland... Read this article online
How to Keep Your Groundwater Safe and Clean Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Groundwater plays a vital role for families and businesses in rural and agricultural settings. It supports essential activities such as livestock care, irrigation, and cleaning processes, and in many areas, it's the sole source of drinking water. For this reason, it's critical for rural... Read this article online
Rising Waters on the Canadian Prairies and Beyond Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Spring flooding is intensifying across large portions of Canada, placing farms under growing pressure during one of the most important windows of the agricultural year. From the Prairies to Central Canada and into Atlantic regions, saturated soils, elevated rivers, and damaged rural... Read this article online